Karin's Rainbow Gathering 2011 news and ideas for creating a safe, fun and healing gathering in Washington State, July 1 - 7, 2011. As with all things related to Rainbow Gatherings, this is not an official source of information and represents my thoughts and opinions only. Other people will have different ideas. Email me if you wish.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

On Creating Community at the Gathering

One of the ways in which we create community at the gathering is by creating hundreds if not thousands of smaller communities or camps. Each camp has its own vibe and its own focus. Some camps are a handful of friends who have pitched tents next to each other. At the opposite end of the spectrum are large camps with large kitchens that feed the entire gathering complete with banks of shitters, elaborate advanced planning and hundreds of people plugging into the kitchen.

Camping in community is the heart of the gathering. Not only does camping in community allow people to look out for each other and watch over each other's belongings, it allows people to practice consensus based decision making (if that's how the camp decides to operate), meet new people, share and learn from each other and create the energy that the camp feels is needed at the gathering.

The beauty of a gathering is that pretty much anyone is free to plug into any community (with the exception of Sister Space which is yonis only). Some people come to a gathering and never leave their community. Other people camp in one community and visit other communities for fun, to participate in workshops, or to work.

2009 Gathering Map (click to enlarge)

If you've never been to a gathering before, I recommend you arrive early in the morning, then hike in and wander around the gathering checking out the camps and trying to find a place that will contribute to your creation of a positive gathering. (Keep in mind that sometimes the most challenging situations create the best gathering). If you're looking for a particular type of camp (like one based on religious beliefs or dietary styles), stop by the Info Booth and people can point you to camps that would accommodate your preferences. As always at the gathering and life in general, listen to your gut. If something doesn't feel right for you, no explanation necessary, just pick up your gear and move on down the trail.

I suppose I could give a rundown on some of the camps that are generally at the gathering, but I'm not sure I want to do that. Each gathering is different, and whatever I may say about a camp today based on my personal past experience, may not be true in Washington. Each community consists of many people and it's the combination of people that make the community what it is. Since no two gatherings ever have the same mix of people, nothing is ever the same.

However, there are usually camps dedicated to most of the major world religions, geographical areas, theater, activism, abuse of alcohol, abuse of herb, raw foods, bridge building and more.

For those who like to know what they're getting into, that's not really the best way to experience the gathering. Come, explore, meet people, learn about yourself and others, share the best of yourself with the gathering and you will have an amazing experience. That being said, here are links to info on various camps that other people have compiled and the map (above) from the 2009 gathering showing some of the larger camps.

Northwest Tribes Lightline

(503) 727-2498

Washington Family Lightline

Forwarded info: For good updated info on info for the Washington state annual gathering of the tribes 2011..please contact the Washington state lightline @ (509)217*6573 between the hours of 10am and 10pm Pacific Time unless it is a emergency!!! or dial 911!!!PLEASE LEAVE A MESSAGE!! on a side note please do not flood the lightlines with calls for direction to the nationals this will be chosen by consensus at spring council 2011 on june 12th..(site to be announced for that location)..please do not flood the lightlines with directions to holding camps these direction are to be announced very soon as well..please be patient family...i know everyone has rainbow fever..but this is a long process to get our family to the rite place at the rite time...WE LOVE YOU and we will see you soon!

Mailing Address

If you prefer to communicate via snail mail or want to send a few dollars to help with scouting or other pre-gathering related costs:

Washington Rainbow Gathering 2011 P.O. Box 76 Oroville, WA 98844

Rainbow Links

Welcome Home

I try to cover a wide range of gathering specific topics on this blog to help those new to gathering create a safe and positive gathering experience. If I haven't covered a topic on this year's blog, odds are I or a guest blogger covered it in one of the prior year's gatherings. Some of the information will be outdated, but most of the basics will be the same. If there's a specific topic you're curious about, email me and I'll try to cover it or invite a guest blogger to do so.

About Me

Getting into the gathering without getting a mandatory court appearance ticket

GETTING INTO THE GATHERING WITHOUT GETTING A MANDATORY COURT APPEARANCE TICKET

Every year the United States Forest Service Law Enforcement (USFS) Incident Management Team (the cops) attempts to write as many tickets to family coming home as they possibly can to justify their presence. They give out tickets for broken tail lights, failure to use a turn signal in a deserted parking lot at 2 AM, lack of seat belts, controlled substances (even just a trace amount), beads hanging from your rear view mirrors, prescription medications if the label doesn't clearly have your name on it and you can't prove who you are, dogs off leash, a vehicle missing a front license plate even if you live in a state that does not issue a front license plate and a lot more violations of the letter of the law.

However, these tickets are not the type of citation you would probably receive for any of these issues in your hometown. These are mandatory court appearance tickets. There will be special court dates set up just for us, so we can go to the local courthouse, fire station or visitors center and go before a magistrate. In the past, charges have been reduced, fines were often minimal and the court has allowed people to make payment plans ranging from 90 days to pay $75 to 18 months to pay $25 depending on the hardship cases people have expressed.

If you do not show up for your mandatory court appearance on the date indicated on your ticket, a Federal Bench Warrant will be issued for your arrest. Then the USFS LEOs will come into the gathering looking for you. If they find you they will arrest you and put you in jail until the next court date. If this happens on a Friday afternoon, you will be in jail until Monday. If they do not find you at the gathering, the next time a law enforcement officer for any reason stops you, your ID will be run through the database and you will go directly to jail.

Of course, everyone is free to manage this situation as they wish but I strongly recommend you go to your court date. I have seen people charged with crimes that could potentially result in a six years sentence walk out with a $500 fine and three years’ probation. Keep in mind that every year the dynamic is different and these results may not always be available. There are lawyers at the gathering (I am not a legal expert) who attend the court dates and will assist as best they can although I recommend you catch up with them before your court date to gain a better understanding of your specific charges and strategies to get the charges dropped or reduced. If you do not know these people personally, go to INFO and let them know you received one of the magic tickets and you need legal assistance.